ANALYSIS

BEST BET: RACE 5, FIRST HOOSIER

FIRST RACE

BRIDGE OF SIGHS has won two straight and seems well spotted to score again, as she should be in an ideal spot behind a contested pace; dangerous under those circumstances. JOKERS QUEEN is another who figures to benefit from the expected race flow; exits a race where the winner posted an above-par Beyer. REGAL ROMA sat a perfect trip in that score against restricted claimers but she may be in a similar situation today.

SECOND RACE

TIMUQUANA PLACE was moving with some interest in the lane in that return trip and she does figure to get at least some pace help in this one; barn off to a quick start at the meet. MILBRA also stands to benefit from a lively pace up front; exits open claimer at Gulfstream Park West. R SWEET EXCHANGE scored via a forward trip in that last one but she may be forced to rate today with several speeds to her inside.

THIRD RACE

DOMESTIC VIOLET doesn’t boast a lot of pedigree power but she does sport a couple of breezes that strongly hint at some speed; should offer some value, too. LUNA QUEEN does have a race under her belt but she has been away and she, like the top pick, is a threat here based on her best recent works; down in class for this too. LADY BREANNA rallied well enough in her first start off the short break and she’s obviously going to be tough today as she makes her first start for a tag.

FOURTH RACE

FORT DESOTO was a good third when last on the turf, rallying with some interest in the lane, and she looms the main danger in the lane today; just needs some pace. STAND FOR THE ANTHEM and KING’S CASTLE come out of the same race and both were seemingly against the bias, racing down inside and off the pace on a day when outside speed was best; the former is kin to a turf winner in Wile E Peyote while the latter is by a sire who wins at a slightly above average rate with turfers.

FIFTH RACE

FIRST HOOSIER caught the eye with a decent late run through the lane in her first start against winners and she can run them all down late here if she gets a similar set up in terms of fractions; appears to be plenty of speed to her inside. COURT PRINCESS didn’t break alertly in her local debut and that cost her early position; likely to improve upon that running line with a clean getaway. RIGHT ON BY had been turfing prior to the layoff but her lone win came on this main track; dangerous if ready.

SIXTH RACE

HAPPY WANDERER looks like the main speed in this otherwise paceless race; he’s widest of the eight in here but he’s he should be able to clear the field in the opening stages easily enough. PROFITEER has the speed to stay close and he should get first run at the top pick; could inherit the lead at a most opportune time. IRISH STRAIT didn’t run to his best figures in his first start off the layoff but he did have trouble there; tactical speed and inside post should go a long way in this one, assuming a clean trip.

SEVENTH RACE

UNCLE DAVE was overmatched in his latest but he has back figures that very much put him in the middle of this, and he should have the race flow in his favor; very likely to move up today on the class drop. BAREFOOT COVE may have needed a race off the layoff, as he didn’t run to his best figures in

that one, but he also has back Beyers that are good enough; certainly a threat if able to run to them, and he should be a square price. HALF TON OF FUN gave way on a loose lead in his latest but he was on the rail there, and that may not have been the best part of the track on December 26th. KING’S DREAM is stuck on the AE list and will thus need some help scratching into this race but if he gets to run he’ll be a handful, coming off a near miss at Gulfstream Park West; best figures make him a top contender. BREAK IN THE STORM didn’t break well in his first start in nearly a year but he recovered nicely to finish a remote third; tries once again to get back on the turf and he could prove a longshot with upside if he can avoid a regression in his 2nd start off the layoff. TONY was a game winner in his latest and the Beyer he earned in that maiden score puts him in the thick of this one, his first try against winners.

NINTH RACE

CITY ELITIST was against the race flow in that last one but while he was off the board he didn’t run badly under the circumstances, making a middle move to reach contention before flattening out; speed to his outside should help set the table for his late run. D’ROCK was no match for the heavy favorite in that last one but he did well to get the place with a run up the rail, especially considering most of the winners that day were off the fence; merits a long look given the expected pace scenario. MIDNIGHT JOKER was far back in his seasonal debut but he stands to improve today with a better set up.

TENTH RACE

ARBA, kin to turf winner Got Glee, has speed and some upside, coming off a race where he was stuck down inside dueling for the lead in the slop; he didn’t run badly in his turf debut three back considering he was headstrong early on. SHEDANCESFORFATE is kin to four winners, including Dance with Fate, the 2014 Blue Grass winner; that runner also scored in his first start on the grass. REAGAN’S HEART was a beaten favorite when last seen but he was game in defeat; two good efforts on the green in as many starts likely make him the favorite in this finale.